Fighting sleep and kicking Batman's butt
by UnholyUnderBoob
Summary: Family Portrait universe. Shelby and Santana are alone for the night and Santana just won't settle down. ONE-SHOT.


_**I do not own Glee or any of the original characters, It all belongs to RIB and Fox. Any characters you don't recognise are my own creations.**_

_**Family Portrait universe. Shelby and Santana are alone for the night and Santana just won't settle down.**_

_**ONE-SHOT**_

Shelby tip-toes out of her bedroom and warily glances down the hall, breathing a small sigh of relief when there's no sign of Santana. For reasons that Shelby couldn't work out, Santana has been extra clingy today and it had taken Shelby several attempts to make Santana stay in bed. Santana just didn't want to go to sleep, it seems. She had thought it was because her sisters weren't here for the evening, but Shelby had decided that couldn't be it. As much as Santana loves her sisters, she adores getting Shelby all to herself. Shelby desperately hopes Santana doesn't get back out of bed tonight because she is exhausted, and just wants to lounge on the couch with a glass of wine and watch a terrible movie.

"Maaaama!" Shelby's shoulders slump and she swallows a groan. Maybe if she just stands perfectly still, and doesn't speak, Santana will just go back to sleep. She hears Santana's bedsprings creak as the girl's weight shifts and she hopes that Santana is just rolling over. The sound of soft footsteps dashes her hopes. "Mama?" Santana pokes her head out of her bedroom, her brown eyes lighting up when she spots Shelby.

"Go back to bed, Santana," Shelby tells her gently, but firmly. "It's way past your bedtime, you should be fast asleep by now," Shelby states as she approaches Santana. "Come on," Shelby softly urges, attempting to usher Santana back into her bedroom.

"But, mama, I'm not sleepy," Santana complains. "Why do I gotta go to bed if I'm not sleepy?" Santana innocently asks. Shelby sighs, she just knows that tonight is not going to be as peaceful as she wants it to be. "Can I have some warm milk?" Santana questions her mama, batting her long eyelashes as she gazes pleadingly at Shelby.

"Okay, but you are going straight back to bed afterwards," Shelby sternly tells her. She has always thought that her girls could sense it whenever she has a moment of weakness, and Santana is sure proving her theory to be correct tonight. Shelby takes a hold of Santana's hand and leads her downstairs to the kitchen, "have a seat, baby girl." Santana does as she is told and slumps into one of the chairs, propping her elbows on the table and cradling her face in her hands as she watches her mama move around the kitchen.

"Mama?" Shelby sighs,

"yes, Santana?"

"Could you beat Superman up?" Santana curiously questions. Shelby closes her eyes for a second, trying to work out where that random question came from.

"Maybe," Shelby states as she prepares Santana's warm milk.

"What about Batman? Could you beat him up?" Santana asks. "Quinn doesn't think you could, but I told her you'd kick his butt," Santana informs Shelby, a deadly serious expression on her face. Shelby can't keep the smile from her face.

"Well, I guess I could kick Batman's butt," Shelby nods. Santana wrinkles her nose for a moment, deep in thought.

"Mama?" Shelby rolls her eyes and sighs again. This is going to be a long night.

"Yes, Santana?"

"Why would you want to kick Batman's butt?" Santana questions, a frown on her face. "What did he do to you?" Shelby falters, staring at Santana.

"Well, I don't want to kick his butt," Shelby replies, "he hasn't done anything to me at all."

"But you just said you would kick his butt," Santana says. "Why would you kick his butt if he hasn't done anything to you? That's a little mean, mama." Shelby gapes at Santana, stuttering for a moment as she tries to formulate a response.

"I didn't say I _would_ kick his butt," Shelby defends herself, "I only said that I _could."_ This kid is going to drive her insane one of these days, she's sure of it.

"But how would you _know_ you could kick his butt?" Santana pushes, "did you already do it? Why would kick Batman's butt. That's bullying, mama," Santana seriously states. Shelby scrubs her face with her hands and holds back a frustrated groan. She's having an aneurysm... she _must_ be. She sighs, knowing she isn't going to win this one. It's in her best interests to just concede.

"You're right," Shelby nods. "Mama is really sorry, I wouldn't ever want to kick Batman's butt," Shelby tells Santana. Santana nods, seemingly happy again. "Why don't you go and get comfortable on the couch, we can snuggle while you drink your milk," Shelby suggests. "I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay, mama," Santana chirps, sliding off of her seat and making her way out of the kitchen. She stops, "you can kick Superman's butt if you really want to," Santana says, "he sucks!" With that, Santana leaves the kitchen, leaving her disgruntled mama alone in the room. Shelby blinks,

"what the hell just happened?" she mutters to herself. Shelby finishes preparing Santana's milk and pours it into a sippy cup for her, shooting her unopened bottle of wine a longing glance. Shelby wanders through to the living room and sits down next to Santana and hands her the milk.

"Thanks, mama," Santana grins, taking a long sip. Her face contorts, "eeww! That's so gross, mama!" Santana exclaims. "I don't want it," she adds, thrusting the sippy cup into Shelby's hands. Shelby gapes at her daughter, her brain feeling as though it's about to explode. Is she kidding her right now?!

"If you don't like warm milk, why would you ask for it?" Shelby asks in disbelief. Santana shrugs,

"people on tv always ask for it at night," Santana tells her. Shelby squeezes her eyes closed and counts to ten in her mind...slowly. She is convinced that Santana is messing with her. "Can I have soda instead?" Santana asks, poking Shelby in the ribs. Santana frowns when her mama doesn't immediately respond, didn't she hear her? "Mama!" Santana yells, causing Shelby to jump. Santana giggles, "you're so silly, mama. Can I have soda now please?"

"No," Shelby shakes her head. "No, definitely not. It's time to sleep, not time to drink soda," she sternly states. Santana frowns,

"oh. Can I have a cookie then?" That's it...that is it...she's gonna kill her. "Mama? Are your ears blocked? You're s'posed to hold your nose and blow. That's what I had to do one time," Santana rambles. "Or maybe you just gotta clean 'em, mama. Maybe they're all gross and that's why you can't hear. Brittany's were like that, 'member?" Santana leans forward and pulls Shelby's earlobe, peering into her ear.

"Enough!" Shelby snaps. "Santana, it is way past your bedtime. I want you to go upstairs and get into bed," Shelby firmly orders. "I will come up in five minutes to tuck you in and if you are not in bed I am going to spank your backside." Santana pouts,

"you don't gots to shout, mama," Santana innocently tells her. "My ears are fine." Yep, aneurysm.

"Santana, GO to bed," Shelby exclaims. "I mean it, you better be in bed when I come up," Shelby warns. "Santana..." she warns when the girl doesn't move.

"Just _one_ cookie?" Santana asks again, she needs to double check that her mama had really meant it when she said no.

"Santana!" Santana sighs,

"fine." Santana's shoulders slump as she slides off of the sofa. Shelby watches as Santana shuffles out of the living room and she lets out a groan as she slumps backwards into the sofa cushions. It's over...it's over, right? Shelby brings her hands up to her head and massages her temple, trying in vain to fighting off her brewing headache. She needs a moment to calm down before she goes upstairs to check on Santana because she is far too close to losing her temper. She doesn't want to ever properly lose her temper with any of her girls, she already feels bad about snapping at Santana just now. Shelby glances at the clock, it's already closing in on ten o'clock and she's tempted to just go to bed, too. No, she shakes her head, wine first. She had earned it.

"If that girl isn't in bed...god help her," Shelby grumbles to herself as she forces herself to her feet. Making her way up the stairs, Shelby prays that Santana had just done as she was told. Please, god...please! Shelby reaches the top of the stairs and walks along the hallway, stopping outside of Santana's bedroom. She takes a deep, calming breath and pushes the door open. Thank god! Shelby smiles when she sees Santana lying down in bed and she moves across the room to sit on the edge of the girl's bed. "Thank you, baby girl," Shelby tells her. "I want you to stay in bed this time," Shelby states.

"Can I have a story?" Shelby looks down at Santana, knowing that the girl is just trying to delay the inevitable now.

"You've already had a story, sweetheart. It's time to close your eyes and go to sleep. We can do whatever you want tomorrow," Shelby promises.

"Okay, mama," Santana sighs, turning over onto her side and snuggling into her pillow. "Goodnight, mama. I love you," she says with an angelic smile.

"Goodnight, baby girl. I love you, too," Shelby replies. "Very much." Shelby stands up and walks towards the door of Santana's bedroom. She smiles, relief flowing through her until...

"Mama, I havta go potty."

_**-Fin- **_

_**Please review. :)**_


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